Because of that, the girls had something to prove: that they were as good as the guys. “In 1992, I was the lone female ranger in circles,” she says. “The word B- boy suggests that.” Teresa Espinosa, a member of the Beat Freaks, adds that in the ’80s and ’90s this was especially apparent in dance circles and at battles. “Hip-hop music’s pioneers were men and the culture has been dominated by men,” he says. Jonathan Lee, a hip-hop dancer and teacher, explains that in the past, hip-hop dance was predominantly masculine because of its origins. Dance Spirit spoke with hip-hop veterans to find out how and why the perception of gender in hip hop has evolved-and where it stands now. To handle today’s fluid hip-hop terrain, both guys and girls are learning to master diverse styles and to portray both genders. The hip-hop genre is also blending with styles like street jazz and contemporary, so its borders are shifting, too. But dancers and choreographers are continuing to blur the boundaries in class and onstage, slowly reestablishing how each gender is perceived. No doubt, strong opinions about how men and women should dance still exist. The concept of gender in hip hop is evolving. And it’s not just the ladies performing these sultry moves-the guys are doing them, too. But you’ll also find them dancing ultra-femininely in videos by artists like Beyoncé and Ciara. Today, women in hip hop can still do head spins and freezes with the best of ’em, and they’re masters of popping, locking and breaking-styles originally developed by male dancers. Back then, hip hop was clearly a man’s world.
The guy dancers are tough, but the girls are too, wearing baggy sweats and attacking the movement in a masculine way.
Watch an old-school hip-hop video from the 1980s or ’90s-by Bel Biv DeVoe, Salt ‘N’ Pepa or Missy Elliot-and you’ll see aggressive, hard-hitting choreography.
0 kommentar(er)
